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Jesse stands at the entrance to the Foundation, waiting for Emily. After the ordeal below, neither can stand to spend any more time there, for now. Soon enough, the Head of Research appears from the same tree engraving and takes Jesse’s hand.
Both of them joke about whether Ahti is still on vacation, down among the pillars. Neither have seen him.
“Maybe he’s going out for dinner as well. Gotta treat yourself sometimes.” Jesse jokes, waiting for the cable-car to come to them.
Emily laughs. The cable-car settles next to them with a satisfying thunk. Jesse presses the button to go up, with the Sankarin Tango playing on the speakers.
“What if we danced to this?” Emily muses, holding on to the railing.
“I’d love that.” Jesse replies, taking her hand.
The two of them sway to the music, careful to not fall off the edge. A million thoughts are running through Emily’s head, most of them about exactly how strong Jesse really is. Psychic powers and more physical strength than she could ever hope to have.
“I don’t have the clothes for a date.” Jesse states as the cable-car comes to a stop.
“You have an extremely hot Director’s suit, that I’d love to see you in.” Emily replies, leading her back through the Quarry.
They stop for a moment to stare up at the stars. The sky is streaked with blue, like a painting. Jesse hasn’t taken a good look at the night sky in a very long time. Without Dylan next to her, it felt empty, even with Polaris.
“I hope he wakes up soon.” Jesse says out of the blue.
“I hope so too. We just need to give him time. Nothing else we can do.” Emily replies, draping her arm around her shoulder.
They ride up the Sector Elevator in silence, just enjoying each other’s company. Jesse runs to the Director’s office and closes the door.
“Polaris, I’m not so sure about this anymore. Fighting Hiss is a lot different than dating someone.” she thinks.
Polaris shimmers softly in response.
“You think I have this under control? Well, if you think so.” Jesse replies.
Quickly, she dresses, trying not to linger on the bullet wounds and other scars decorating her skin. The Hiss left their mark on her in more ways than just the lingering whispers in her mind. Her suit is somehow still pristine, although she doesn’t use the pin in her hair. Best to leave the Board out of her personal life. And she owes it to Ash Jr. to keep them as far from her job and her mind as possible.
She’s supposed to pick Emily up from her apartment, then head over to the steakhouse they agreed on. Waving to Arish, who works normal hours now, she walks out of the Bureau.
The evening air isn’t clean (New York City isn’t exactly known for its pollution-free air) but it’s better than the Foundation. Breathing in the sand cannot be good for anyone. She wonders how it didn’t affect Ash Jr. Or maybe it did.
Emily’s apartment is thankfully within walking distance. She knocks on the door, and waits. She picked up a bouquet of roses on the way over, hoping that she likes flowers.
The door opens, revealing Emily in a flowery dress. She takes the bouquet and sniffs the red roses, smiling.
“You look… stunning.” Jesse says, closing the door behind Emily.
“Thank you. You look amazing yourself.” Emily replies.
They walk, hand in hand, down the sidewalk. The people beside them are hardly visible, not with the way they stare into each other’s eyes. The busy people blur into a background, and Jesse thinks that this must be the way that mundane people with mundane jobs see the Oldest House. Just a backdrop to their own lives.
“I can’t believe I’m dating you.” Jesse says, pushing a lock of hair behind her ear.
“I can’t believe it either. You’re amazing, and I never thought I’d be with someone like you. My family would love you.” Emily replies, squeezing Jesse’s hand just a bit tighter.
A few minutes of walking later, and they’re at their destination. Jesse can’t remember the last time she went out to eat at a genuine restaurant. She’s been to bars and mall food courts and that is the extent of “going out to eat” that she’s done.
“We have a table for two reserved, under Emily Pope.” Emily says to the waiter at the door.
“Right this way, miss.” the waiter replies, showing them to a table in the corner.
They’re right by some potted plants, and Jesse has to resist the urge to touch them. She’s always loved plants, since she started playing in the woods as a child in Ordinary.
They take a moment to look over their menus, Emily choosing a salad and Jesse choosing a steak.
“Jesse, I don’t think I’ve said this to you, but you’re such an amazing boss and friend. Girlfriend, in my case. All the people I’ve talked to think so. And the ones that don’t are the suspicious ones. They’ve always been that way. I’ve got a good feeling about whatever’s coming next.” Emily says, leaning back in her chair.
The waiter brings them a glass of wine each.
“Haven’t had this stuff in a while.” Jesse remarks, taking a sip.
“It’s been a hot minute for me too. Seeing Darling drunk kinda put me off it for a bit.” Emily replies.
They sit in silence for a moment, thinking. Emily thinks about the research teams she’ll have to send into those branching tunnels in the Foundation they found a few hours before. Both to search for more tapes and to make sure that no Hiss found their way inside.
Jesse thinks about her brother and if he’ll ever wake up. Would Emily be happy for her if he did, even though she would be preoccupied with reconnecting with Dylan? She’s learned through her life that people tend to hate it when you put them aside for someone else. But Emily seems like the type to understand.
Both dread having to learn all the secrets of the past Director. To dig through every file and decipher codes and black boxes dotting every paper they see. With Marshall, Salvador, Trench, and Tomassi dead, Kirklund resigned, and Darling vanished, there’s nobody to fill them in on the blanks.
The waiter comes back with their food. It smells delicious, and Emily starts to regret only getting a salad.
“I still don’t have an apartment. Maybe I could stay at your place tonight?” Jesse says to Emily, winking.
“I told you I had room for two.” Emily replies.
They start eating, neither one wanting to spoil the delightful silence between each other. Emily is the type to sit quietly next to someone and consider it a bonding experience. Jesse is much the same.
Polaris is strangely quiet. She must not want to intrude, either. That, or she doesn’t like prolonged communication outside the Oldest House. The mundane world isn’t made for Polaris like Slidescape-36 was. Too much noise and nothing to dampen it with. No resonance would want this noisy and chaotic world, except for the Hiss.
The evening turns to night faster than they thought. Not wanting to stay out later than need be, the couple stands up. Jesse insists on tipping more than required. Having been a waitress, she knows how hard it is to live off of tips.
Hand in hand, slightly tipsy from the alcohol, they start heading for the apartment.
“I need to - hic - get an apartment.” Jesse says, hiccuping and trying not to stumble into Emily.
“Just take Trench’s, it’s not like he’ll care.” Emily replies, laughing.
“Yours seems nicer.” Jesse answers, as they step into the apartment building.
Fumbling with her keys, Emily opens the door. There’s a small kitchen and living room, with books and potted plants everywhere. It’s slightly dusty, no one having been there for weeks. One bedroom, one bathroom.
“I’ll take the couch.” Jesse says, taking off her blazer.
“Cool. I’ll get some non-formal clothes for you.” Emily replies, going into her room and returning with a shirt and sweatpants.
“Thanks.” Jesse says.
Emily closes the door to her room and Jesse collapses onto the couch. It’s the most comfortable place she’s slept in a while, for sure. Especially because Emily is there, safe, with no threat of Hiss or Darkness or Mold. Just peace.